ROCKFORD, Ill. - The Rockford University football team (1-1) lost in the dying seconds of the game to the Martin Luther College Knights (1-1) on Saturday afternoon. Rockford found itself down two scores in the third quarter before battling back and taking the lead late in the fourth. Unfortunately, Martin Luther scored the game winning touchdown with under a minute to play to win the game by a final score of 28-24.

• RU got on the scoreboard first when Eric Mackey (Marengo, Ill.) rolled out to his left and found receiver Jon Kaifesh (Greenfield, Wis.) open down the left side who trotted into the endzone to give the Regents a 7-0 lead. 
• The Knights answered in the second quarter by stringing together a 16 play, 73-yard drive that ate up 7:13 of clock to tie the game at 7-7.
• Martin Luther was not done as it struck again just before halftime by piecing together another long drive.
• This time the Knights went on an 11 play, 80-yard drive in just a little over two minutes to go up by a score of 14-7 into halftime. 
• Martin Luther kept the momentum going scoring on its opening drive of the third quarter to take a 21-7 lead.
• With things looking bleak, Eric Mackey marched the Regents down the field and capped it off with a 20 yard touchdown pass to junior Kalan Miller (Cordova, Tenn.), to make it 21-14 with 7:36 left in the third quarter.
• Come the fourth quarter Rockford needed to find a way to tie the game.
• It was Mackey to Miller again, this time for a 41-yard touchdown strike to knot the game at 21-21.
• Rockford's defense did well to hold the Knights to a three-and-out on the next possession before Cody Kupsik (Woodstock, Ill.) would kick the go-ahead field goal from 24 yards out to give the Regents the 24-21 lead with 6:26 left on the clock.
• Unfortunately, the Knights' Josh Arndt found Zach Bloomquist for the game-winning 68-yard touchdown pass with just 53 seconds left to play.
• Rockford was able to get off one final shot toward the endzone, but it fell short as the Regents fell to Martin Luther by a score of 28-24.

• Eric Mackey had a career-high 243 passing yards on 17-of-31 attempts, while throwing for 3 touchdowns.
• Mackey also led the Regents with a team-high 74 yards rushing, while averaging 5.3 yards a carry.
• Kalan Miller recorded his first career multi-touchdown game, catching two today.
• Miller also caught 5 passes for 119 yards.
• Cody Kupsik recorded his first career field goal knocking it through for 24 yards.
• Freshman Octavio Galvez (Loves Park, Ill.) had 7 punts for 309 yards including two over 60 yards. 
• Jared Johnson (Miami, Fla.) and Octavio Galvez led the Regents with 12 total tackles each.

• The Rockford University football team returns to action on Saturday, September 15 when it hosts Kalamazoo at Sam Greeley Field. Kickoff is set for 1 PM.